In this project “autobiographical digital stories were created by North Lexington [Kentucky] students. Storicraft is a storytelling project that brings artists and youth together to produce and present stories in multimedia form. This initiative is aimed at fostering a connection between participants and media communications experts as a means of training and giving voice to young people.” Click on title to view video.

In the video you will see several youth narrate pictures about their bodies, and how they feel about the use of their bodies. The narrators are softspoken, but their stories have impact when coupled with images: viewers simultaneous relive memories make the videos powerful and fun.

Can this same concept be used in the adult education classroom? I don’t see why not. A class could similarly decide upon a theme (body, architecture). Each person in the class could take images of the theme. Then finally script a narration as to why these images are important to their theme. This step could be completed with a tablet or smartphone.

Afterwards the class could reflect on individual films, as well as the films as a group. From the process of planning, synthesizing,creating, and reflecting larger concepts of critical thinking could be exposed. Similarly the experience of the project could be drawn upon to help students understand outlining inside of writing projects.

—- UPDATE —-

From “The Problem of Student Engagement,” by Shelley Wright of Wright’s Room:

My initial thought is to use a method like Photovoice, which I think authentically gives power to students. Through photographing the everyday events of their lives and merging these with story, students will share what school is really like. It is often used among marginalized people, and is intended to give insight into how they conceptualize their circumstances and their hopes for the future. Photovoice attempts to bring the perspectives of those “who lead lives that are different from those traditionally in control of the means for imaging the world” into the policy-making process.

It is often used among marginalized people… hmm, does that not sound like the adult ed population?